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What Is a Bull Call Spread Option? A Comprehensive Overview

What Is a Bull Call Spread Option? A Comprehensive Overview


Editor's Note: Options are not suitable for all investors. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Please see the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options.

A bull call spread, also known as a long call spread or a type of vertical spread, is an options trading strategy used to capitalize on moderate price increases for a stock. The strategy involves buying a call option at a lower strike price and selling a call option at a higher strike price.

Investors use a bull call spread when they’d like to take advantage of a slightly bullish trend in a stock without taking too much risk. This type of options trading strategy limits both profits and losses, making it a popular strategy for investors with limited capital and a desire for downside protection.

Key Points

•   A bull call spread benefits from a moderately bullish stock trend while limiting risk and upfront costs.

•   The spread’s value increases as the stock price increases, but when it falls, losses are limited by the short call.

•   Volatility has minimal impact due to near-zero vega, with long and short calls offsetting each other.

•   Time decay affects the spread negatively if the stock price is below the lower strike, positively if it’s above the higher strike.

•   Pros include lower cost and limited losses, while the main con is capped potential gains.

What Is a Bull Call Spread Position?

To initiate a bull call spread, options traders buy a call option at a lower strike price while selling a call with a higher strike price. Both options have the same expiration date and underlying asset.

This options strategy establishes a net debit or cost and makes money when the underlying stock rises in price. The potential profits hit a limit when the stock price rallies above the strike price of the short call (the leg sold with the higher strike price), while potential losses hit a limit if the stock price declines beneath the strike price of the long call (the leg bought with the lower strike price).

In a bull call spread, a trader cannot lose more than the net premium, plus commissions. A trader’s maximum gain is the difference between the strike prices of the short and long call minus the net premium, plus commissions.

Recommended: How to Sell Options for Premium

Bull Call Spread Example

Let’s say a trader establishes a bull call spread by purchasing a call option for a premium of $10 (the long call). The call option has a strike price of $50 and expires in three months. The trader also sells (or writes) a call option for a premium of $2 (the short call). The call option has a strike price of $70 and expires in three months. The underlying asset of both options is the same and currently trades at $50.

Since options contracts typically cover 100 shares, the trader’s total net cost would be $8 per share x 100 shares, or $800.

Assume that three months have passed and the expiration date has arrived.

Scenario 1: Maximum Profit

If the stock price is $60 or above at expiration, both calls would be in-the-money. The maximum gain can be determined by subtracting the net premium paid for the options from the difference between the two strike prices. In this example, the maximum profit for the trader would be $1,200, minus any commissions or fees.

•   Strike price difference: $70 – $50 = $20 per share

•   Less net premium paid: $20 – $8 = $12 per share

•   Total max profit: $12 x 100 = $1,200

Scenario 2: Maximum Loss

If the stock price is $50 or lower at expiration, both options expire worthless. The maximum potential loss would be the net premium paid upfront, plus any commissions or fees.

•   The trader loses the entire initial $8 per share investment

•   Max loss = $8 x 100 shares = $800

Scenario 3: Breakeven Price

The breakeven occurs when the total gain offsets the initial cost, which can be determined by adding the net premium ($8) to the long call strike price ($50), which results in a breakeven price of $58.

•   Long call gains = (Stock price – $50) x 100

•   Breakeven price = $50 + $8 = $58

Variables Impacting a Bull Call Spread

As with any options trading strategy, various potential factors can have an effect on how the trade will play out. The ideal market forecast for a bull call spread is “modestly bullish,” or that the underlying asset’s price will gradually increase.

As with all options, the price of the underlying security is only one of several factors that can impact the trade.

Stock Price Change

A bull call spread will increase in value as its underlying stock price rises and decline in value as the stock price falls. This kind of position is referred to as having a “net positive delta.”

Delta estimates how much the price of an option is expected to change for every $1 change in the underlying security’s price. The change in option price is usually less than that of the stock price. For example, if the stock price falls by $1, the option may only fall by $0.50.

Change in Volatility

Volatility refers to how much a stock price fluctuates in percentage terms. Implied volatility (IV) is a factor in options pricing. When volatility rises, option prices often rise if other factors remain unchanged.

Because a bull call spread consists of one short call and one long call, the price of this position changes little when volatility changes (an exception may be when higher strike prices carry higher volatility). In options vocabulary, this is called having a “near-zero vega.” Vega is an estimation of how much an option price could change with a change in volatility, assuming all other factors remain constant.

Time

Time is another important variable that influences the price of an option. As expiration approaches, an option’s total value decreases, a process called time decay.

The sensitivity to time decay in a bull call spread depends on where the stock price is in relation to the strike prices of the spread. If the stock price is near or below the strike price of the long call (lower strike), then the price of the bull call spread declines (and loses money) as time passes. Conversely, if the stock price is above the higher strike price, time decay works in favor of the trader, as the short call loses value faster than the long call.

On the other hand, if the price of the underlying stock is near or above the strike price of the short call (higher strike), then the price of a bull call spread rises (and makes money) as time passes. This occurs because the short call loses time value faster than the long call, which benefits the trader. The long call is deep in-the-money, and therefore primarily composed of intrinsic value (and less affected by time decay).

In the event that the stock price is halfway between both strike prices, time decay will have little impact on the price of a bull call spread. In this scenario, both call options decay at more or less the same rate.

Risk of Early Assignment

Traders holding American-style options can exercise them on any trading day up to the expiration date. Those who hold short stock options have no control over when they may have to fulfill the obligation of the contract.

The long call in a bull call spread doesn’t face early assignment risk, but the short call may be subject to the risk of early assignment. Calls that are in-the-money and have less time value than the dividends that a stock pays are likely to be assigned early.

This can happen because when the dividend payout is greater than the price of the option, traders would rather hold the stock and receive the dividend. For this reason, early assignment of call options usually happens the day before the ex-dividend date of the underlying stock (the day by which investors must hold the stock in order to receive the dividend payout).

When the stock price of a bull call spread is above the strike price of the short call (the call with a higher strike price), traders must determine the likelihood that their option could be assigned early. If it looks like early assignment is likely, and a short stock position is not desirable, then a trader must take action.

There are two ways to do away with the risk of early assignment. Traders can either:

•   Close the entire spread by buying the short call to close and selling the long call to close, or

•   Buy to close the short call and leave the long call open.

Pros and Cons of Using a Bull Call Spread

The main advantages of using a bull call spread is that it costs less than buying a single call option and limits potential losses. In the earlier example, the trader would have had to pay a $1,000 premium ($10 for 100 shares) if they had only been using one call option. With a bull call spread, they only have to pay a net of $800 ($8 for 100 shares).

The potential losses are also capped. If the stock were to fall to zero, the trader would realize a loss of just $800 rather than $1,000 (if they were using only the long call option).

The biggest drawback of using a bull call spread is that it caps potential gains. In the example above, our trader only realized a maximum gain of $1,200 because of the short call option position. In the event that the stock price were to soar to $400 or higher, they would still only realize a $1,200 profit.

The Takeaway

A bull call spread is a two-leg options trading strategy that involves buying a long call and writing a short call. Traders use this strategy to try and capitalize on moderately bullish price momentum while capping both losses and gains.

As with all trades involving options, there are many variables to consider that can alter how the trade plays out.

Investors who are ready to try their hand at options trading despite the risks involved, might consider checking out SoFi’s options trading platform offered through SoFi Securities, LLC. The platform’s user-friendly design allows investors to buy put and call options through the mobile app or web platform, and get important metrics like breakeven percentage, maximum profit/loss, and more with the click of a button.

Plus, SoFi offers educational resources — including a step-by-step in-app guide — to help you learn more about options trading. Trading options involves high-risk strategies, and should be undertaken by experienced investors. Currently, investors can not sell options on SoFi Active Invest®.

Explore SoFi’s user-friendly options trading platform.

🛈 While investors are not able to sell options on SoFi’s options trading platform at this time, they can buy call and put options to try to benefit from stock movements or manage risk.

Photo credit: iStock/kupicoo

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.

Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Before an investor begins trading options they should familiarize themselves with the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options . Tax considerations with options transactions are unique, investors should consult with their tax advisor to understand the impact to their taxes.
Disclaimer: The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $50 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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How Do Employee Stock Options Work?

Employee stock options (ESOs) may be included in an employee’s compensation package, as a way of giving an employee the opportunity to buy stock in the company at a certain price — and as an incentive to stay with the company for a period of time.

Employee stock options give employees the right to buy company stock at an established grant price once certain terms are met. But there’s no obligation to do so.

Exercising stock options means choosing to purchase the stock at the grant price, after a predetermined waiting period. If you don’t purchase the stock, the option will eventually expire.

Employee stock options can also give employees a sense of ownership (and, to a degree, actual ownership) in the company they work for. That can have benefits and drawbacks. But if you’re working in an industry in which employee stock options are common, it’s important to know how they work, the different types, and the tax implications.

Key Points

•   Employee stock options (ESOs) can be offered as part of an employee’s compensation package.

•   Employee stock options give employees the right to purchase X number of company shares for a certain price, by a certain date.

•   Stock options are typically offered on a vesting schedule, with a percentage of options available by a certain date or series of dates.

•   If the market price of the shares is higher on the exercise date, the employee may be able to realize a profit. But there are no guarantees, and the share price could drop below the exercise price.

•   Incentive Stock Options receive a more favorable tax treatment than Non-Qualified Stock Options.

What Are Employee Stock Options?

As mentioned, employee stock options give an employee the chance to purchase a set number of shares in the company at a set price — often called the exercise price — over a set amount of time. Typically, the exercise price is a way to lock in a lower price for the shares.

Typically, the exercise price is a way to lock in a lower price for the shares, although there are no guarantees.

This gives an employee the chance to exercise their ESOs at a point when the exercise price is lower than the market price — with the potential to make a profit on the shares.

Sometimes, an employer may offer both ESOs and restricted stock units (RSUs). RSUs are different from ESOs in that they are basically a promise of stock at a later date.

Employee Stock Option Basics

When discussing stock options, there are some essential terms to know in order to understand how options — general options — work. (For investors who are familiar with options trading, some of these terms may sound similar. But options trading, which involves derivatives contracts, doesn’t have any bearing on employee stock options.)

•   Exercise price/grant price/strike price: This is the given set price at which employees can purchase the stock options.

•   Market price: This is the current price of the stock on the market (which may be lower or higher than the exercise price). Typically an employee would only choose to exercise and purchase the options if the market price is higher than the grant price.

•   Issue date: This is the date on which you’re given the options.

•   Vesting date: This is the date after which you can exercise your options per the original terms or vesting schedule.

•   Exercise date: This is the date you actually choose to exercise your options.

•   Expiration date: This is the date on which your ability to exercise your options expires.

How Do Employee Stock Option Plans Work?

When you’re given employee stock options, that means you have the option to buy stock in the company at the grant price. If you don’t use the options to purchase the stock within the specified period, then they expire.

ESO Vesting Periods

Typically, employee stock options follow a vesting schedule, which is basically a waiting period after which you can exercise them. This means you must stay at the company a certain amount of time before you can cash out.

The stock options you’re offered may be fully vested on a certain date, or just partially vested over multiple years, meaning some of the options can be exercised at one date and others at a later date.

ESO Example

For example, imagine you were issued employee stock options on February 1 of 2025, with the option of buying 100 shares of the company at $10/share. You can exercise your options starting on Feb. 1, 2026 (the vesting date) for 10 years, until Feb. 1, 2036 (the expiration date).

If you chose not to exercise these options by Jan. 1, 2036, they would expire and you would no longer have the option to buy stock at $10/share.

Now, let’s say the market price of shares in the company goes up to $20 at some point after they’ve vested in 2026, and you decide to exercise your options.

You would buy 100 shares at $10/share for $1,000 total — while the market value of those shares is actually $2,000. In this scenario, the vesting period allowed the stock to grow and deliver a profit. But the reverse could also occur: The share price could drop to $8, in which case you wouldn’t exercise your options because you’d lose money. You might choose to wait and see if the share price rebounds.

Exercising Employee Stock Options

It bears repeating: You don’t need to exercise your options unless it makes sense for you. You’re under no obligation to do so. Whether you choose to do so or not will likely depend on your financial situation and financial goals, the forecasted value of the company, and what you expect to do with the shares after you purchase them.

If you plan to exercise your ESOs, there are a few different ways to do so. The shares you get are effectively the same as the shares available on online investing platforms and brokerages, but some companies have specifications about when the shares can be sold, because they don’t want you to exercise your options and then sell off all your stock in the company immediately.

Buy and Hold

Once you own shares in the company, you can choose to hold onto them — effectively, a buy-and-hold strategy. To continue the example above, you could just buy the 100 shares with $1,000 cash and you would then own that amount of stock in the company — until you decide to sell your shares (if you do).

Cashless Exercise

Another way to exercise your ESOs is with a cashless exercise, which means you sell off enough of the shares at the market price to pay for the total purchase.

For example, you would sell off 50 of your purchased shares at $20/share to cover the $1,000 that exercising the options cost you. You would be left with 50 shares. Most companies offering brokerage accounts will likely do this buying and selling simultaneously.

Stock Swap

A third way to exercise options is if you already own shares. A stock swap allows you to swap in existing shares of the company at the market price of those shares and trade for shares at the exercise price.

For example, you might trade in 50 shares that you already own, worth $1,000 at the market price, and then purchase 100 shares at $10/share.

When the market price is higher than the exercise price — often referred to as options being “in the money” — you may be able to gain value for those shares because they’re worth more than you pay for them.

Why Do Companies Offer Stock Options?

The idea is simple: If employees are financially invested in the success of the company, then they’re more likely to be emotionally invested in its success as well, and this may increase employee productivity and loyalty.

From an employee’s point of view, stock options offer a way to see some financial benefit of their own hard work. In theory, if the company is successful, then the market stock price could rise and the stock options could be worth more.

The financial prospects of the company influence whether people want to buy or sell shares in that company, but there are a number of factors that can determine stock price, including investor behavior, company news, world events, and primary and secondary markets.

Tax Implications of Employee Stock Options

There are two main kinds of employee stock options: qualified and non-qualified, each of which has different tax implications. These are also known as incentive stock options (ISOs) and non-qualified stock options (NSOs or NQSOs).

Incentive Stock Options (ISO)

When you buy shares in a company below the market price, you could be taxed on the difference between what you pay and what the market price is. ISOs are “qualified” for preferential tax treatment, meaning no taxes are due at the time you exercise your options — unless you’re subject to an alternative minimum tax.

Instead, taxes are due at the time you sell the stock and make a profit. If you sell the stock more than one year after you exercise the option and two years after they were granted, then you will likely only be subject to capital gains tax.

If you sell the shares prior to meeting that holding period, you will likely pay additional taxes on the difference between the price you paid and the market price as if your company had just given you that amount outright. For this reason, it is often financially beneficial to hold onto ESO shares for at least one year after exercising, and two years after your exercise date.

Non-qualified Stock Options (NSOs or NQSOs)

NSOs do not qualify for preferential tax treatment. That means that exercising stock options subjects them to ordinary income tax on the difference between the exercise price and the market price at the time you purchase the stock. Unlike ISOs, NSOs will always be taxed as ordinary income.

Taxes may be specific to your individual circumstances and vary based on how the company has set up its employee stock option program, so it’s a good idea to consult a financial advisor or tax professional for specifics.

Should You Exercise Employee Stock Options?

While it’s impossible to know if the market price of the shares will go up or down in the future, there are a number of things to consider when deciding if you should exercise options:

•   The type of option — ISO or NSO — and related tax implications

•   The financial prospects of the company

•   Your own investment portfolio, and how these company shares would fit into your overall investment strategy

You also might want to consider how many shares are being made available, to whom, and on what timeline — especially when weighing what stock options are worth to you as part of a job offer. For example, if you’re offered shares worth 1% of the company, but then the next year more shares are made available, you could find your ownership diluted and the stock would then be worth less.

The Takeaway

Employee stock options (ESOs) can be an incentive that companies offer their employees: They present the opportunity to invest in the company directly, and possibly profit from doing so. There are certain rules around ESOs, including timing of exercising the stock options, as well as different tax implications depending on the type of ESO a company offers its employees.

There can be a lot of things to consider, but it’s yet another opportunity to get your money in the market, where it’ll have the chance to grow.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).


Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.


SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.


Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Disclaimer: The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results.

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Is 75K a Good Salary for a Single Person in 2024?

Have you just received a salary offer and now wonder, “Is $75K a good salary for a single person?”

In many cases, that salary can offer a comfortable lifestyle and plenty of opportunities to save. But if you live in an expensive area or have a lot of debt, you may find that living on $75,000 a year requires more careful planning and budgeting.

Let’s take a closer look.

Is $75K a Year a Good Salary?

If you make $75,000 a year, you’re earning more than half of all workers in the U.S. And in fact, many people would probably consider the salary as good pay.

After all, a $75,000 salary works out to around $6,250 per month, $1,442.31 per week, or $36.06 an hour. This may easily cover your expenses — depending on your situation. If you live in a high-cost area, you may find that you’d be more comfortable earning more.

Need help monitoring where your money is going each month? Online tools like a money tracker can help.

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Median Household Income in the US by State

When we talk about median household income, we’re referring to an income level that half of households earn more than and half earn less. As of 2022 — the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau — the median annual salary in the U.S. is $74,580. Individuals may make more or less depending on where they live, their age, the type of work they do, and other factors. Here’s a look at the median household annual income in every state:

State Median Household Income
Alabama $59,910
Alaska $89,740
Arizona $73,450
Arkansas $53,980
California $85,300
Colorado $89,930
Connecticut $90,730
Delaware $80,750
Florida $65,370
Georgia $67,730
Hawaii $91,010
Idaho $72,580
Illinois $78,020
Indiana $70,030
Iowa $76,320
Kansas $73,040
Kentucky $55,880
Louisiana $58,330
Maine $75,160
Maryland $108,200
Massachusetts $93,550
Michigan $68,990
Minnesota $90,390
Mississippi $48,610
Missouri $71,520
Montana $72,980
Nebraska $78,360
Nevada $72,330
New Hampshire $84,970
New Jersey $92,340
New Mexico $56,420
New York $75,910
North Carolina $65,070
North Dakota $78,720
Ohio $67,520
Oklahoma $63,440
Oregon $86,780
Pennsylvania $72,210
Rhode Island $80,650
South Carolina $61,770
South Dakota $67,180
Tennessee $65,380
Texas $74,640
Utah $95,800
Vermont $72,190
Virginia $85,170
Washington $89,430
West Virginia $52,460
Wisconsin $73,330
Wyoming $73,090

Related: Average US Salary by State

Average Cost of Living in the US by State in 2024

The cost of living is the amount of money needed to cover basic living expenses, such as housing, food, taxes, and health care. Here’s what you need to know about the average cost of living in the U.S. by state:

State Average Cost of Living
Alabama $39,657
Alaska $54,331
Arizona $44,875
Arkansas $39,044
California $53,082
Colorado $53,374
Connecticut $55,803
Delaware $51,113
Florida $50,689
Georgia $43,482
Hawaii $49,155
Idaho $39,739
Illinois $49,558
Indiana $42,697
Iowa $41,758
Kansas $43,147
Kentucky $40,816
Louisiana $42,294
Maine $50,559
Maryland $48,650
Massachusetts $58,532
Michigan $45,591
Minnesota $48,615
Mississippi $36,445
Missouri $44,990
Montana $47,887
Nebraska $46,190
Nevada $44,831
New Hampshire $56,727
New Jersey $54,700
New Mexico $40,028
New York $53,255
North Carolina $43,959
North Dakota $48,182
Ohio $44,089
Oklahoma $38,650
Oregon $47,779
Pennsylvania $49,040
Rhode Island $46,909
South Carolina $43,305
South Dakota $47,740
Tennessee $42,469
Texas $45,114
Utah $42,653
Vermont $50,761
Virginia $48,249
Washington n/a
West Virginia $41,153
Wisconsin $45,165
Wyoming $47,832

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

Can You Live on $75K a Year?

While there’s an average pay in the U.S., there’s no one-size-fits-all salary needed for a single person to live comfortably. As the charts above show, $75,000 can go further in some areas than others. Regardless of what you make, it helps to understand how much money you’re taking home — and how much you’re spending — each month. Creating a budget and tracking all of your expenses can make it easier to keep tabs on your finances.

How Can You Budget for a $75K Salary?

There is no shortage of options when it comes to creating a budget. One of the most popular methods is the 50/30/20 budget. Essentially, this approach involves allocating:

•   50% of your after-tax dollars to necessities, including groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, child care expenses, minimum debt payments, and more.

•   30% to “wants,” such as going out to eat, gifts, travel, and entertainment.

•   20% on savings and additional debt payments (beyond the minimum payments).

Prefer something more straightforward? Consider a line-item budget, where you keep track of monthly expenditures so they don’t exceed spending targets. Another option: using an online budget planner to keep finances organized.

How Can You Maximize a $75K Salary?

Budgeting, putting every dollar you can into savings, and paying off debt can all help you get the most out of every paycheck. But those aren’t the only ways to maximize a $75,000 salary.

One strategy is to enroll in your company’s 401(k) plan. Some employers even offer matching contributions, meaning they’ll mirror your contribution to your retirement, often up to a certain percentage.

Another avenue to explore? Setting up autopay for recurring bills, which helps prevent missed payments and late fees. While you’re at it, you may also want to automate your savings so you don’t have to remember to move money between your accounts on payday.

What Kind of Quality of Life Can You Have With a $75K Salary?

Can you have a good quality of life with an annual salary of $75,000? For many people, the answer is yes. With that kind of income, you may find it easier to make ends meet and make progress toward your financial goals. But keep in mind that “quality of life” is subjective, and the amount needed to live comfortably can vary from person to person.

Recommended: 25 Highest-Paying Jobs in the U.S.

Is $75,000 a Year Considered Rich?

It depends on who you ask. A 2023 Bankrate survey showed that Americans do not feel rich with a salary of $75,000. Rather, respondents said they’d need to earn an average of $233,000 per year to feel financially secure and $483,000 per year to feel rich.

That said, a $75,000 salary can feel like a fortune to one person but not to the next. Whether you feel financially secure with that salary may also depend on your living expenses, whether you live within or below your means, and other factors.

Is $75K a Year Considered Middle Class?

There’s no single definition of “middle class.” According to the Pew Research Center, middle class households have an income that’s between two-thirds and twice the U.S. median household income of $70,784. (A $75,000 salary falls easily within this range.)

A 2023 Washington Post poll reported that Americans consider a $75,000 to $100,000 salary range as middle class. Respondents said being middle class involved such things as:

•   Having a secure job

•   Having health insurance

•   Ability to save money for the future

•   Affording an emergency $1,000 bill without incurring debt

•   Ability to pay all bills on time

•   Ability to retire comfortably

Recommended: What Is a Six-Figure Salary?

Examples of Jobs That Pay $75,000 a Year

There are plenty of jobs that pay $75,000 per year, and some don’t require a degree. Let’s take a look at examples of positions that typically pay $75,000 or more.

•   Network administrator: Network administrators manage technical systems and networks.

•   Broker: Brokers mediate sales processes, particularly in real estate.

•   Quality assurance manager: Quality assurance managers establish quality standards, resolve concerns, and identify system and procedural needs.

•   Junior software engineer: A junior software engineer assists in developing and deploying computer software.

•   Dental hygienist: Dental hygienists perform cleanings, inspect teeth and gums, and educate patients on oral health.

•   Radiation therapist: Radiation therapists run machinery, perform X-rays, counsel patients, and more.

•   Clinical nurse: Clinical nurses work with patients and medications, and manage medical records.

The Takeaway

Is $75,000 a year a good salary for an individual in 2024? How about as an entry-level salary? In general, yes. A $75k salary is more than what half of U.S. workers earn, and depending on where you live and your expenses, may be more than enough to live comfortably.

Take control of your finances with SoFi. With our financial insights and credit score monitoring tools, you can view all of your accounts in one convenient dashboard. From there, you can see your various balances, spending breakdowns, and credit score. Plus you can easily set up budgets and discover valuable financial insights — all at no cost.

See exactly how your money comes and goes at a glance.

FAQ

Can I live comfortably making $75k a year?

Depending on your expenses, you should be able to comfortably make a $75,000 salary work in many areas of the country.

What can I afford with a $75k salary?

Many lenders use the 28/36 rule to help borrowers understand how much to use to repay a mortgage and other debts. Experts suggest spending no more than 28% of your income on housing expenses and no more than 36% on total debt payments. Consider using this rule as you make decisions about how large of a house to purchase or how much debt you’re willing to take on.

How much is $75k a year hourly?

A salary of $75,000 works out to $36.06 hourly.

How much is $75k a year monthly?

A salary of $75,000 is $6,250 per month.

How much is $75k a year daily?

A salary of $75,000 works out to $288.46 daily.


About the author

Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock is a higher education and personal finance expert with more than a decade of experience writing online content. She spent 12 years in college admission prior to switching to full-time freelance writing and editing. Read full bio.



Photo credit: iStock/fizkes

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Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Creditworthiness Explained

Why Does Creditworthiness Matter?

To be creditworthy means you are considered suitable to access credit, whether that means you’re getting a loan or a line of credit (such as a credit card). You have proven that you have managed debt responsibly in the past and are likely to do so again in the future.

In other words, lenders see you as not a risky borrower who might be late with payments or default on your debt. You appear to be someone who will make payments on time and pay off what you owe.

Here, you’ll learn important intel about how creditworthiness is determined (it’s more than your credit score) and why it’s important.

Key Points

•   Creditworthiness measures the likelihood of timely debt repayment, impacting loan and credit card terms.

•   Factors affecting creditworthiness include payment history, debt amount, credit history length, credit mix, and new credit applications.

•   Building creditworthiness involves timely payments, reducing debt, maintaining old accounts, and avoiding frequent new credit applications.

•   Strong creditworthiness can lead to better loan terms, higher credit limits, and lower interest rates.

•   Creditworthiness can influence employment opportunities, as some employers review credit reports during the hiring process.

What Is Creditworthiness and Why Does It Matter?

In short, a consumer’s creditworthiness is what lenders assess to hedge their bets that the borrower won’t default on — fail to repay — a loan.

You can think of creditworthiness a bit like a report card for borrowers. Like a report card, your overall creditworthiness is composed of a variety of factors, each of which is weighted differently. The factors are calculated into an overall credit score, which is a bit like a grade point average (GPA).

Like a report card, your creditworthiness gives lenders a snapshot of your historical behavior — and although your past doesn’t always predict the future, it’s the main information creditors have to go on about how much of a risk you might be.

It’s possible to build creditworthiness, but doing so takes dedicated effort.

Why Does Creditworthiness Matter?

Creditworthiness is important in an array of ways. It’s not just about credit cards. Your creditworthiness will be assessed if you ever take out an auto loan or mortgage, or if you’re just signing a lease on a rental property. Your credit report might even be pulled as part of the job application process as an indication of your level of personal responsibility.

What’s more, higher creditworthiness tends to correlate with better loan terms, including higher limits and lower interest rates. Lower creditworthiness can mean you’re stuck with higher interest rates or extra fees, which, of course, make it more difficult to make on-time payments, get out of debt, and otherwise positively impact your creditworthiness for the future. A low enough level of creditworthiness may preclude you from qualifying for the loan (or lease, or job) altogether.

In short: Creditworthiness is really important for just about everyone, and it’s worth building and maintaining.

Recommended: Understanding Purchase Interest Charges on Credit Cards

How Is Creditworthiness Calculated?

So what specifically goes into the definition of creditworthiness?

That depends on whom you ask. Which factors will be most heavily weighted to determine your creditworthiness change based on what kind of credit or loan you’re applying for.

A credit card issuer, for example, may look specifically into your experience with revolving debt, while a mortgage lender may be more concerned with how you’ve handled fixed payments like installment loans.

While each lender will have its own specific criteria and look into different things, one of the most common measures of creditworthiness is a FICO® Score — the three-digit credit score based on information reported by the three main America credit bureaus, Experian®, Equifax®, and TransUnion®.

It’s important to understand that lenders will see more than just a three-digit FICO Score, which ranges from 300 to 850. The credit report they pull may also include specific information about your open and closed accounts, revolving credit balances, and repayment history, as well as red flags such as past-due amounts, defaults, bankruptcies, and collections.

Lenders may also take your income and the length of time you’ve worked at your current job into consideration, as well as assets (like investments and properties) you own.

You may already know that credit scores range from poor (300 to 579) to exceptional (800 to 850). But those scores are underpinned by a specific algorithm that takes a variety of different historical credit behavior into account.

Specifically, your FICO Score is calculated using the following data points, each of which is weighted differently:

•   Payment history, 35%: The single most important factor determining your credit score is whether or not you’ve consistently paid on your loans and credit lines on time.
•   Amounts owed, 30%: This factor refers to how much of your available credit you’re currently using. Having higher balances (also known as your credit utilization) can indicate more risk to a lender, since it may be more difficult for someone with a lot of debt to keep up with paying a new account.
•   Length of credit history, 15%: Having a longer credit history gives lenders more context for your past behavior, so this factor is given some weight in determining your credit score.
•   Credit mix: 10%: This factor refers to how many different kinds of credit you have, such as installment loans, credit cards, and mortgages. It’s not necessary to have each, but having a healthy mix can help build your score.
•   New credit, 10%: Applying for a lot of new credit recently can look like a red flag to lenders, so having too many hard inquiries can ding your score.

Recommended: What Is a FICO Score and Why Does it Matter?

Building Creditworthiness

If you have a low credit score or a number of negative factors on your report, you may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of changing your creditworthiness for the better. But the good news is, it is possible to positively impact your credit score and build your overall credit profile. It just takes time, dedication, and persistence.

Given the importance of payment history, making on-time payments is usually the most important thing you can do to build your credit score.

Because the amount of revolving debt you have is an important metric, reducing your overall debt can help, too — and will free up more money in your budget to put toward other financial goals.

If you’re working to pay off certain credit cards, it may not be best to close them once you’ve stopped using them. Keeping them open will help increase the overall length of your credit history. However, you may need to charge (and then pay off) a nominal amount each month to keep the card issuer from closing the account due to inactivity.

You may want to use that credit card for one low monthly bill, such as your Netflix subscription, and pay it off in full each statement cycle.

It’s also a good idea to check your credit report at least once a year. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that the three big credit bureaus provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months; you may find them available weekly as well. The free credit report source authorized by federal law is AnnualCreditReport.com.

These reports don’t include your credit scores, but you’ll still get the opportunity to assess your report for fraudulent items and dispute them. You may also be able to get your credit score for no charge as a perk from your financial institution or your credit card issuer. See what’s available.

Recommended: Breaking Down the Different Types of Credit Cards

The Takeaway

Creditworthiness is the measure by which a potential lender assesses how much of a risk it’s taking by offering you a loan or line of credit. Building your creditworthiness and maintaining it is important for ensuring you have access to loans, credit cards, and even employment opportunities. Being creditworthy can help you snag lower rates and more favorable terms, whether you are shopping for a home loan or new credit card.

Whether you're looking to build credit, apply for a new credit card, or save money with the cards you have, it's important to understand the options that are best for you. Learn more about credit cards by exploring this credit card guide.

FAQ

Why is creditworthiness important?

Creditworthiness measures how likely you are to repay debts and do so on time. It lets lenders know you handle debt responsibly, and it may encourage them to offer you better terms when extending you credit.

What is creditworthiness most affected by?

Your payment history is the single biggest contributor to your credit score at 35%. This reflects how well you have paid debt on time in the past.

What are 3 reasons credit is important?

Creditworthiness is important because it shows you have good financial management habits, it shows potential lenders that you are a good candidate for loans and revolving lines of credit, and it can encourage them to offer you favorable rates and terms.





*See Pricing, Terms & Conditions at SoFi.com/card/terms.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .


External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.


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8 Ways to Organize Your Bills

Regularly paying your bills on time can help you avoid doling out money on interest and fees. It can also help build your credit score, which might help you snag the best interest rates when qualifying for loans or getting a credit card.

Fortunately, organizing your bills isn’t hard. You might use an old-school accordion folder and a calculator to manage the process. Or you might decide to handle the whole process digitally.

Here are some smart ideas for how to organize those bills.

Key Points

•  Setting up a dedicated space (at a desk or in the cloud) for bill management and storage can streamline the process.

•  Creating a master list of all monthly bills helps track payments.

•  Adjusting due dates can ease financial pressure.

•  Using reminders or specific days for bill payments can be effective.

•  Keeping records of all payments, whether digital or physical, can be crucial for financial management.

1. Setting Up a Bill-Paying Station

Do you have a convenient spot where you can open, organize, and pay your bills? If you get paper bills, consider setting up a dedicated desk or area or (if space is tight) a roll-away cart. The goal is simply to keep everything in one place, instead of scattered around in your car, bag, or on the kitchen counter.

It’s a good idea to stock your station with all the items you’ll need to get the job done. Depending on how you pay your bills, this might include: envelopes, stamps, pens, your checkbook, a calendar, a filing system for sorting paper bills as they arrive, and storing those you’ve paid.

Or, if you pay your bills digitally, you could set up a separate virtual bill paying space. You might, for instance, set up an email account just for bills. This will ensure that you don’t overlook an electronic bill in the midst of the other emails you receive. You might also use your current email and create a folder, with subfolders, for anything related to your finances. That way, you’ll know exactly where to look if you need to check on a bill or other financial correspondence.

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2. Making a Master List of Monthly Bills

Creating a list of every single bill you pay can be another way to help ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. It can also help you see where your money goes and how much money you have left after paying bills (if any).

You can do this with pen and paper, or create a printed out or online spreadsheet that includes a column for each month (allowing you to simply check off each bill as it gets paid). Check your bank account and credit card statements for bills you pay less frequently (annual subscriptions, quarterly membership fees, tax bills, etc.), and anything that’s on autopay.

For each bill, consider including: the vendor/service provider/lender, the account number, contact information, the bill’s due date, the date you think you should send/make the payment so it’s always on time.

For loan/credit card bills, you may want to also include the balance owed, and the minimum monthly payment.

You can use this list to make decisions about which bills you might want to set up by automating your finances and which you’ll pay manually.

And once it’s done, you can keep a copy on your bulletin board and/or in your files to use as a checklist.

Recommended: How to Pay Bills When You’ve Lost Your Job

3. Using Automatic Payments When Appropriate

Looking for other ideas on how to organize bills? There are two basic automatic bill payment options.

•   One is setting up automatic debit payments with a merchant or service, which involves giving them your checking account or debit card number and authorizing them to withdraw money on a recurring basis to pay a bill.

•   Another way is to authorize your bank or credit union’s bill pay service to send recurring payments to a company.

Either way you set it up, there are both pros and cons to using automatic payments, or autopay.

Here are the pros:

•   Autopay can help simplify your finances, since you don’t have to write out checks or log on to various websites to pay online every month.

•   It also ensures that it happens. The money is whisked out of your account before you have a chance to think about it or forget to think about it. Automating this process can help you save on interest and fees.

Here are the cons, because that out-of-sight-out-of-mind factor has a downside.

•   Autopay can make it easier to forget that you’re still paying for a subscription service you don’t use anymore, for example, or you might not notice when a bill’s amount is incorrect.

•   If you don’t have enough money in your account when an autopay bill goes through, you could end up overdrafting your account, which can lead to overdraft or NSF fees.

If you generally have plenty of money in your account and you regularly check your bank and credit card statements to make sure the charges are accurate, autopay might be a good fit.

But if your account balance fluctuates, or you’re likely to forget about small or infrequent charges if they’re paid automatically, you may want to use a different payment method (or at least for certain bills).

One other point: If many of your bills hit on the same day of the month, you might talk to some of your payees about whether you can change your bill due date. That could help you spread out payments over the month is a way that eases your financial pressure.

4. Putting a Bill Paying System in Place

Once you’ve decided which (if any) bills you’ll manage with automatic payments, you can move on to choosing a strategy for paying all your other bills, as well as keeping track of autopayments.

You can go as full-on techie as you like, or handle it with classic pencil and paper. The key is simply having a system.

Some options to think about:

Paying Bills Right Away

There’s no reason you have to wait for a specific day of the week or month to pay your bills. With this method, you would just open and pay bills as they arrive in the mail or online.

Setting up Reminders

Another option is to set up reminders for when you need to pay each bill, whether in your digital calendar or a paper one, if you use it. In addition, some companies and service providers allow you to sign up for bill reminder emails or texts.

Paying Bills on a Specific Day

If you don’t want to (or can’t always) sit down immediately to write a check or get online to pay, you could make it a weekly, biweekly or monthly routine.

With this method, you would file any bills that arrive in a “to pay” folder or inbox. You might also consider opening them and organizing them by the due date.

If the due dates are all over the place or difficult to manage, you may be able to get the dates adjusted simply by calling or emailing the company or service provider. It’s also a good idea to go through autopay notices to make sure you agree with the amounts charged.

Choosing the Best Way to Pay Manually

Many service providers and lenders offer customers several different methods for paying their bills.

Besides autopay, you might be able to use an app, a website, an automated phone system, deliver a payment in person, or send it in the mail.

No matter which option you choose, try to remember to always keep some sort of record of the payment in your files.

5. Keeping Good Records

In addition to checking off each paid bill on your master list, you may also want to create a system for managing your records after you’ve made your payments.

One option is to file paper copies of all your bills, noting on each how much you paid, when you paid, and how you paid (including any confirmation numbers for online or phone payments or check numbers for payments you mailed). If any of these bills are needed for tax purposes, you may want to make a copy and file it with your yearly tax documents.

Another option is to scan each bill and file them digitally on your computer’s hard drive or in the cloud, using a folder for the year that has subfolders for each month.

You may also want to create a real or digital file with all your credit and debit card receipts until you have a chance to reconcile them with your statements. (It’s a good idea to hold onto any receipt, bill, or statement until you’re absolutely sure you won’t need it for taxes or some other purpose, such as an insurance claim.)

6. Designating a Family Bookkeeper

Here’s another way to go about organizing your bills. If one spouse or partner has a knack for organization and bookkeeping and the other is less inclined, you might want to have the “numbers” person take the lead on the household’s bill-paying duties. (Have you ever missed a payment because you each thought the other would take care of it?)

Another option is to sit down together to work through the bills. Or, you might decide to alternate from month to month. You could make it a “money date” and do it over coffee at home.

No matter which approach you choose, consider setting up a regular time to sit down together and review the household budget, see how you stand, and make sure you both have access to account information, including passwords.

You also may want to consider setting up a separate account for paying household bills.

7. Using Budgeting Tools/Apps

Technology can step in and help you manage your bills, too. There are an array of ways to track your spending and paying. Your financial institution may offer digital tools for this, or you can download apps for this purpose, whether free or paid options.

You might want to experiment with a few and see which suits you best, depending on, say, whether pumping up your savings account or avoiding late payments is your key goal with organizing your finances.

8. Using the Cash Envelope Method

There are a variety of budget techniques you might use. One popular one is the envelope method, which involves setting key budget categories, writing the name of each on an envelope, and putting the designated amount of cash for the month ahead into it.

Then you pay the bills from the appropriate envelope as needed. Once the money from an envelope is gone, it’s gone. You either have to forego spending in that category or else borrow from another envelope.

For those who prefer not to use cash, this program can be adapted to involve debit card payments or checks.

Recommended: Savings Calculator

The Takeaway

Setting up a simple bill organization system can save you time, stress, as well as money, and can also make it easy to access records you need come tax time. Smart ways to organize your bills include creating a master list of all your monthly bills, deciding when autopay makes sense (and when it might not), and creating a virtual or actual filing system to track and streamline the bill paying process.

You might have to try a few different methods to figure out what works best for your situation. Another move that might help you get your finances organized is finding the right banking partner.

Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.


Better banking is here with SoFi, NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for Best Checking Account Overall.* Enjoy up to 3.80% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

FAQ

What bills are most important to pay?

While all bills are important to pay, basic living expenses (the things that keep you up and running, such as rent, utilities, and healthcare) and debt (student loan payments, for instance) can be priorities.

How do I organize my monthly expenses?

There are many ways to organize your monthly expenses, depending on your personal preferences and financial style. You might use an app or pencil and paper; you could try the envelope budgeting method or set up autopay. Many people try a couple of techniques before they land on one that suits them best.

How do you simplify bill payments?

Many people find that either using an app or automating their bills makes payment simpler. Your bank might offer a good app, or you can download one. And automating bill payments is something that vendors may set up for you or you can set up with your financial institution.


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Although we do our best to recognize all Eligible Direct Deposits, a small number of employers, payroll providers, benefits providers, or government agencies do not designate payments as direct deposit. To ensure you're earning 3.80% APY, we encourage you to check your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives. If your APY is not showing as 3.80%, contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. As long as SoFi Bank can validate those details, you will start earning 3.80% APY from the date you contact SoFi for the rest of the current 30-day Evaluation Period. You will also be eligible for 3.80% APY on future Eligible Direct Deposits, as long as SoFi Bank can validate them.

Deposits that are not from an employer, payroll, or benefits provider or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, or are non-recurring in nature (e.g., IRS tax refunds), do not constitute Eligible Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits.

As an alternative to Direct Deposit, SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant. SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits are not eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Eligible Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving an Eligible Direct Deposit or receipt of $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Eligible Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Eligible Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Eligible Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until SoFi Bank recognizes Eligible Direct Deposit activity or receives $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Eligible Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit.

Separately, SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days can also earn 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. For additional details, see the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

Members without either Eligible Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, or who do not enroll in SoFi Plus by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days, will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
*Awards or rankings from NerdWallet are not indicative of future success or results. This award and its ratings are independently determined and awarded by their respective publications.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.


Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

Third Party Trademarks: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, CFP® (with plaque design), and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

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